ALLTOURS

Why Verbal Efforts to Support the Yen Have Limited Effect: Japan's Enduring Spirit

1. The Village Inside a Volcano

Aogashima Island, Izu Islands, Japan

A remote island where an entire village thrives within a massive volcanic caldera.

2. The Eco-Conscious Silver Mine

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, Oda, Shimane, Japan

A vast 16th-century silver mine that prioritized environmental preservation, a rarity in its era.

3. Rice Paddies Cascading into the Sea

Shiroyone Senmaida, Wajima, Ishikawa, Japan

Thousands of tiny, hand-carved rice paddies cascade directly into the Sea of Japan, defying gravity.

4. Japan's Underground Cathedral

Oya History Museum (Oya Stone Mine), Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan

Descend into a colossal underground cathedral carved from volcanic rock, once a secret WWII hideout.

5. Island of Samurai Treasures

Oyamazumi Shrine, Omishima, Ehime, Japan

A sacred island shrine, home to Japan's largest collection of ancient samurai armor and weapons.

6. The Winter 'Snow Monsters'

Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Japan

Giant, grotesque 'snow monsters' form naturally each winter on a volcanic mountain.

7. The Melon City's Mining Past

Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan

A city once booming with coal, now famous for its luxury melons while struggling with depopulation.

8. Edo-Period Time Capsule

Tsumago-juku, Nagiso, Nagano, Japan

A perfectly preserved Edo-period post town where modern elements like telephone poles are banned.

DISCOVER THE UNSEEN

UNLOCK JAPAN'S DEEPER STORIES

Point your phone camera at any landmark, landscape, or even a local dish, and hear its history, geology, and culture narrated in your language.